Balancing Work and School

[_superwoman]

Hi everyone, this post is really just me venting and trying to get some insight on what to do. I'm 26, an Lpn doing my last prerequisites to get in the RN program. I work full time three 12 hour shifts per week and have class two days during the week as well. I've had this same routine/schedule all last year and managed to juggle both school and work pulling As and Bs.

Just recently I've been fighting off respiratory infections I obtained from work and it's almost like back to back. I don't know if my body is just BURNT out from juggling school and work, or if getting sick has made it worse. I haven't slept well in the last two weeks. I'm having some anxiety and insomnia issues at night. A couple days ago I was having palpitations which prompted me to go to the doctor twice, we ruled out that it was caused by the "decongestant Phenylephrine" that's in Mucinex.

Make a long story short I'm at a point where I just want to drop one day during my work week. I feel like 36 hours a week working is too much. Micro is a really hard class and has demanded more than what I'm capable of at this time. Not to mention the more I'm at work, the more susceptible I am to getting sick. I work with ventilator patients.

Any thoughts?

[NurseEmmy]

Things aren't going to get an easier once you are in the nursing program. Only you know if you can afford to drop a day of pay. Everyone is different with what they can handle.

[Shawn91111]

It's not easy as I work close to 60 hours a week with 2-3 classes on top of it, only doing 2 this semester though. Add in time for my wife and son. Time management, knowing how to study and coffee have been my best friends it seems.

[verene, MSN]

Being sick will make balancing everything a lot more difficult. I typically manage working 24 hours a week + school just fine but the quarter I came down with the flu my grades definitely took a dive. I ended up slogging through the end of the quarter (it was only a couple weeks away) and then taking time off from work during my break from school to really recover. If I hadn't had that time for self-care the next quarter would have been miserable. You may have to cut back some this quarter either on hours at work or on school studying time to take care of yourself. Once your health is back up see if you are able to build your work/school load back up to where you've been comfortable before.